Automatic signaling and detecting device for vending-machines or the like.



No. 830,064. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906. E. L. HARMAN.

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING AND DETECTING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES OR THELIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

N0. 830,064. PATENT ED SEPT. 4, 1906. B. L. HARMAN.

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING AND DETECTING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES OR THELIKE.

APPLICATION FILED .TULY29,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 2v .l'iaoen'iork kgar ZIQ No- 830,064. PATIINTED SEPT. 4,1906. E. L. HARMAN. AUTOMATIC SIGNALING AND DETECTING DEVICE FOR VENDINGMACHINES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZQ. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 .UNTTEI) STATES PATENT @FFICE.

EDTVIN L. HARMAN, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING AND DETECTING DEVICE FOR VENDING-MACHINES OR THELIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patentzd Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed July 29.1904. Serial No. 218,663.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. HARMAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of North Manchester, in the county of Wabash and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automaticsignaling and Detecting Devices for ending-Machines or the Like; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which formapart of this specification.

This invention relates to automatic signaling and detecting devices forcoin-operated machines, and is herein shown as more particularlyembodied in a pay-telephone, tlirmgh, obviously, it may be used inconnection with any desired coin-operated vendingmachine.

Ileretofore in many classes of coin-operated vending-machines it hasbeen possible to operate them with coins of light weight or of differentdenomination than that designed to operate the machine, and it has alsobeen possible to operate them with slugs or disks of other metal,thereby causing a. loss of profits for said machines.

The object of this invention is to provide a device whereby slugs ordisks of inferior metal or coins of lighter weight or different(lenomii'iation than those designed to operate the machine are detectedand either returned or deposited within the machine without coming incontact with the operating mechanis n.

. It is also an object of the invention to provide an audible signaloperated by the moving coin and if used in telephone-circuit actingsimultaneously with the usual or any Ylb'll'IlP signal, should the sameberequired.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and morefully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation. partly broken, of avending or slot machine of any kind pmvided with a device embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side ch" in lion of the device, showingthe position of the parts after the dropping of the coin. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 4' is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3, showing the adjustment. ust prior to the drop of thecoin. Fig. 5 is a top plan view. 6 is a central longitudinnl section.Fig. 7 is a rear'elevation.

Fig. 8 illustrates a detail of a pivoted door closing the opening intothe coin-chute.

As shown in said drawings, the front wall A of a telephone-box or otherprepayment device with which my invention is adapted to be used isprovided on its inner side with a standard or frame member A, hereinshown as .metallic, which is rigidly bolted or otherwise secured thereonin close relation thereto. A side frame member A is rigidly secured onsaid frame member A adjacent one side thereof and extends therefrom atapproximately a right angle and upwardly, as shown, to a point below thetop of the frame member A and at its top affords a straight edge a at aright angle with the plane of the frameplate A. Rigidly secured on saidframe members at a slight distance below the upper edge a of the framemember A is a horizontal table A, which extends forwardly through asuitable aperture in the frame-plate A and the wall A and is provided onits outer end with lateral upwardly-directed inturned lugs a a and atits inner end with an upwardly directed transverse flange a", as shown,flush with the edge a. of the standard A Slidably engaged on said tablewith the upper surface thereof in close relation to the top of theaperture in the wall A and the standard A is a coi11-feed slide B,provided on its outer end with an upturned handle I) for manually operating the same and having at each side an upturned flange b, whichengages between and beneath the inturned lugs a. Said lugs and flanges,together with parts of the frameplate A and the top a of theframe memberA form guides for the movement of .said feed-slide on the table andprevent its. displacement therefrom. ltigidly secured one on each sidethe center at the innor end of said feed-slide B and projectinglaterally beyond the sides of the table are the stud-shafts or trunnions b I)". l Vhen said feed-slide is in its outermost position. asshown iii-Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 6, the stud-shafts or parts thereon engagethe inner face of the frame member A and limit the outward movement ofthe slide. In the inner end of said slide is an aperture 1) ofsufficient diameter to receive a coin of the denomination required tooperate the machine and which when said slide is in its outermostposition is positioned just without the wall A of the box, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 5. A corresponding aperture a is provided in the outerend of the table A", which is concentric with ITO the aperture 5 whenthe slide is in its outermost position and is slightly smaller andthrough which coins or other articles of smaller size than theoperating-coin will fall if an attempt be made to operate the machinethereby. Said table is provided centrally with a semicircular aperture aof a diameter transversely approximately equal to that of the aperture 0but the dimension of which longitudinally of the table is greater thanthe radius of said aperture and is adapted, in case a smaller coin orother article passes by the aperture (L to allow said coinor article todrop therethrough and fall to the bottom of the case Without coming incontact with the operating ,mechanism. Intermediate said aperture 0/ andthe inner end of the table is an aperture 0?, similar to the aperture aand of a transverse diameter equal to the diameter of the aperture b inthe feed-slide. Said aperture is adapted to permit the operating-coin tofall therethrough when the feedslide B is at the innermost limit of itsmovement and is provided with an adjustablyweighted lid or cover a",which fits loosely and is pivoted by its outer edge in said apertureflush with the upper surface of the table.

A laterally and forwardly directed arm a is rigidly engaged on the frontedge of said cover and is j ournaled in the frame member A with the freeend opposite from the lid or cover along the outer side of said framemember, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8, and is provided with anadjustable weight a whereby said door or lid is counterbalanced to theweight of the required operating-coin, so that should a coin or otherarticle of lighter weight pass the apertures a and a said cover willremain in its closed position and compel said article to be returnedupon the retraction of the feed-slide B.

Rigidly engaged on the inner face of the standard A is a central guide0, extending longitudinally of the table intermediate the inner ends ofthe stud-shafts and comprising, as shown, a metallic strip 0 and adaptedto engage the upper surface of the feed-slide as it is projectedinwardly and to hold the coin within the aperture 12 Said metallic stripa is provided at its forward end with an upwardly-directed lug c,affording means for securing the guide upon the frame member A, andlaterally with an upturned flange or Web 0 which braces the guide andgives it the desired rigidity. As shown, the strip 0 is offsetcentrally, thereby elevating the portion a to a height abovethe aperturea and at the inner end thereof is rigidly engaged upon the flange a onthe inner end of said table in any suitable manner. The end portion 0 ofthe guide is provided with an up wardly-directed web 0 above theaperture (L A magnet c is adjustably engaged upon the web 0 by means ofa clamping-plate c and screw 0 or other suitable means and extendsdownwardly with its poles adjusted a sufficient distance above theaperture 0 in the table to permit the feed-slide B, with a coin therein,to pass beneath the same and close enough thereto to attract and hold aniron or steel disk or other article which may have been inserted intothe feed-slide and have failed to pass through either of the apertures aor 0;. Such blank or slug is thus retained in the aperture b "in thefeed-slide, which returns the same when the said feed-slide returns toits normal position.

Rigidly engaged on the under side of the table A beneath theaperture aby means of bolts or in any other desired manner, is the coin-chute D,of metal or any other desired material, which is provided, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 7, with a longitudinal slot near each side thereof,(indicated, respectively, by d and d,) and which extend upwardlytherethrough to near top of the chute.

A lever E is pivoted, as shown, by means of a stud-bolt 6, upon theouter end of a transverse shaft E, which is rigidly engaged upon thelower inner corner of the frame member A though, obviously, said levermay be supported by any desired means to extend upwardly beyond thetable A in close relation with the edge thereof opposite the. framemember A Said lever E is provided with a forwardly-curved upper end e,adapted to be engaged by the stud-shaft or trunnion b and which isnormally held against said trunnion when the feed-slide B is in itsoutermost posi tion by means of a spring e which is engaged at one endon said lever and at the other is engaged upon the side of frame memberA, as shown 1H Figs. 2, 3', and 7. Said lever E is provided centrallywith a laterally-directed arm a which extends behind the chute D and hasrigidly secured thereon a forwardlydirected finger e in position tonormally extend through the lower portion of the slot d in said chute,but which when said lever is forced rearwardly by the feed-slide B, asshown more clearly in Fig. 4, is retracted from said slot and held abovethe upper end thereof.

Pivoted on the outer side of the frame member A is a lever F, the upperarm f of which projects above the table A into position to be engaged bythe stud-shaft or trunnion b and the lower end of which extendsdownwardly and rearwardly and is provided with a hammer f, adapted tocontact with the gong F of any suitable construction, but herein shownas a coiled spring, one end of which is rigidly engaged upon the shaft Eon the outer side of the frame member A Said hammer f, as shown, isnormally held in close relation with the gong F or striking position bymeans of a spring f", one end of which is rigidly engaged upon the framemember A and the other of which is on the upper arm.

lever F when .the hammer is thrown for' wardly by the inward movement ofthe feedslide B. For the purpose of insuring positive engagement of thedetent with said lever F a spring G herein shown as a spiralpullingspring, is engaged at one end to said detent and at the other endto the arm f of said level and acts, upon the operation of the lever F,to force the detent G rearwardly into position for the teeth g to engageupon the lug f 2 and hold the hammer f in its retracted position, asshown in Fig. 4. Adjustably engaged upon said shaft G on the inner sideof the frame member A by means of a set-screw 71. is a sleeve H,provided with a downwardly and laterally extending rod or trigger-arm h,which is normally held in front of said chute, as shown more plainly inFigs. 3 and 6, but which when said detent is actuated by the operationof the lever F is thrown rearwardly, by the rotation of the shaft G,into the slot d in the chute D, as shown in Fig. 4, and is held in saidposition by engagement of the detent with the lug f if the device is tobe used in connection with a pay-telephone system, the line-wire I ofwhich is electrically connected to the frame member A by means of thebinding-pin i and to the curved contact-piece i, rigidly engaged uponthe outer side of the frame member A the latter is insulated therefromby means of any desired insulating material *5. Said contact-piece t"extends laterally into position to be engaged by the lever F when the,lower end of the same is thrown forwardly by the action of thefeed-slide B, and a signal is transmitted to the central operator bymeans of-a signal-light, Q1 situated within the station of saidoperator. As a further signal the sound produced by the striking of thehammer f on the gong F upon its release is transmitted over theline-wire to the central operator, thereby giving a double signal.

The operation is as follows: The feed-slide is normally held in itsextended position by means of the pressure exerted by the lever E uponthe stud-shaft or trunnion b, which is rigidly held in engagementtherewith by the pull of the spring e When said feed-slide is in itsnormal position, theapertuie b is without the casing A and is inregister and concentric with the aperture a in the table A so that acoin of the desired denomination may be placed therein and rest upon thesaid table below, though a smaller coin or slug would fall through.l/Vhen said feed-slide is projected inwardly to its innermost position,as shown in Fig. 4, the aperture 1) is immediately above the aperture 0,through the inner end of the table, and the coin when it reaches thisposition, if of proper weight, trips the lid or cover a and fallsdownwardly into the chute D. During the inward movement of thefeed-slide B the lever E is thrown rearwardly by the trunnion b and thefinger e is retracted from the slot (Z in the chute and is held elevatedabove said slot, as shown in Fig. 4. The end of the lever F is alsoengaged by the trunnion 1), thereby throwing the lower end of said leverforwardly into engagement with the detent G, which by the action of thespring G is forced rearwardly and upwardly. The movement of said detentcauses rotation of the shaft Gr, thereby throwing the trigger rod or armit into the slot (1, as shown in Fig. 4, and into position for contactwith the coin as it falls into the chute. The pull of the spring (2returns the lever E to its normal position, thereby projecting thefinger 6 back through the slot 05 of the chute, forcing the coin,together with the trigger-finger h, downwardly, thereby releasing thedetent G from the lug f on the lever F and causing the hammer f by theaction of the spring f 3 to swing violently forward into contact withthe gong F The sound caused by the striking of said gong is transmittedover the wire to the central operator or if used in any other class ofvending-machines it affords an audible signal to the party purchasingthat his coin has been deposited in the proper place. When used in atelephone system, the lever F simultaneously engages with thecontact-piece i, thereby completing the circuit and lighting theoperators signal-light P. If a coinof smaller size than the denominationrequired to operate the machine be inserted, it will fall through theaperture (1 in the table A and fail to enter the machine. Should,however, the party operating the machine hold it within the aperture 5of the feed-slide and project it into the interior of the casing, saidcoin or other article used will fall through the aperture a in the tableand drop to the bottom of the casing without operating the signals abovedescribed. Should, however, a coin of dill'erent denomination or a diskor. other article succeed in passing the aperture 0. it will, if oflighter weight than the coin required to operate the machine,fail totrip the lid 0. and when the slide is returned to its normal position itwill be returned therewith for removal. If a steel or iron disk of anyweight succeeds in passing both the apertures a and a in said table, themagnet 0 engages and supports the same until retracted by the feed-slideto its normal position. Said magnet as herein shown is a permanentmagnet, though, obviously, when the device is used with an electricalcircuit a temporary magnet may be used and said magnet may be supportedabove the table A in any desired manner.

While the device has been shown as used in connection with a telephonesystem, it is obvious that it may be used with any class ofvending-machine in which coins of a given denomination are used as anoperating means.

I have described but one of several constructi ons embraced in myinvention. I therefore do not desire to be limited otherwise thannecessitated by the prior art, as obviously many details of constructionmay be varied Without departing from the principle of this invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a device of the class described thecombination with a table having a plurality of apertures therethrough,one of which is large enough to permit the passage of a given coin,means for depositing a coin in said aperture, a chute beneath saidaperture, a lever actuated by said coin-depositing means, a swinging armadapted to close the passage through said chute, a detent rigidlyconnected therewith, a spring engaging said lever and detent and adaptedwhen the lever is operated to engage the detent with the lever and holdthe arm in position to close the chute and means for ejecting the coinfrom the chute.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with a tablehaving a plurality of apertures therethrough, but one of which is largeenough to receive a coin of a given denomination, of a normally openchute rigidly engaged beneath said larger aperture, means adapted todeposit a coin or the like in said chute, a swinging arm operatedthereby adapted to enter the chute and retard. the coin and signalingmeans actuated by the coin-depositing means adapted to indicate thepassage of said coin through the chute.

3. In a device of the class described, atable provided with a pluralityof differentsized apertures therethrough, a feed-slide movably engagedthereon and having an aperture adapted to register with one of theapertures in said table, a slotted chute rigidly engaged beneath one ofthe apertures of said table, means operated by the feed-slide adapted toenter the chute and retard the passage of the articles therethrough, andmeans actuated by said feed-slide adapted to indicate the passage of anarticle through said chute. 4. In a device of the class described, thecombination with a rigid frame of atablerigidly engaged thereon andprovided with a plurality of apertures, an apert ured feed-slide movablelongitudinally of said table, a slotted chute leading from one of theapertures in said table, means operated by the feedslide and actingthrough said slots to control the passage through said chute, a hammeroperated by the inward movement of said slide and means for locking saidhammer in one position and acting to release the same when a coin passesthrough the chute.

5. In an automatic signaling and detecting device the combination with arigid frame of a table rigidly engaged thereon and provided with aplurality of diiierent-sized apertures therethrough, a chute having acoin-receiving aperture therein adapted to pass successively over theapertures in said table, a slotted chute rigidly engaged-beneath thelast aperture in said table, a swinging arm, a lever pivoted on theframe, a detent adapted to engage therewith and lock said arm to controlthe passage through the chute, means operating through a deposited coinfor throwing said arm out of its controlling position, a hammer on saidlever and means adjacent thereto adapted to afford an audible signalwhen the feed-slide is retracted.

6. In a device of the class described the combination with a rigid frameof a table rigidly engaged therecn provided with a plurality ofapertures, means adapted normally to close one of said apertures, aslotted chute leading from said closed aperture, a feedslide movablyengaged on said table adapted to deposit a coin in said chute, aswinging arm, means for locking said arm in position to arrest thepassage of said coin through said chute, means adapted to engage thecoin and release said arm, a gong, and a hammer carried on said lockingmeans and adapted when said arm is released to strike said gong.

7. In a deviceof the class described the combination with a table havinga plurality of apertures the-rethrough of a slotted chute rigidlyengaged beneath one of said apertures, a feed-slide movably engaged onsaid table, a spring-controlled lever adapted to normally hold saidslide in its extended position, a hammer pivoted in position to engagesaid slide, a depending arm, a detent operatively connected therewithadapted to engage said hammer and lock said arm in position to obstructthe passage in said chute and means on said lever-adapted to'force anarticle through the chute and release said arm.

8. In a device of the class described the combination with an aperturedtable pro vided with a slotted chute on the under side thereof, of afeed-slide adapted to carry a coin or the like and deposit it in saidchute, a spring-controlled hammer adapted to be engaged by saidfeed-slide, a detent adapted to engage said hammer, an arm adapted to belocked by said detent in the slot of said chute and means adapted tostrike-said coin and release the hammer.

9. In a device of the class described the combination with an aperturedtable provided with a chute beneath the same, a slide movably engagedthereon adapted to feed a coin through said chute, a' gong, aspringcontrolled hammer pivoted on said table and projecting upwardly inposition to be engaged by said slide, a transverse shaft, a detentthereon adapted to engage said hammer and hold it retracted, an adustable arm on said shaft adapted when the detent is engaged with saidhammer to obstruct the assage through said chute, a spring-contro ledlever adapted to be actuated by said slide and a finger thereon adaptedwhen said lever is released, to engage said coin and release said detentand force said hammer against said gong.

10. In an automatic signaling and detecting device an apertured table, aslotted feedchute beneath the aperture of said table, a shaft journaledbeneath the table, an arm thereon, a rearwardly-curved detent on the endof said shaft, a lever pivoted on the side of the table adjacent thedetent, a spring con necting said detent and lever, a feed-slide adaptedto swing said arm into the slot in said chute and engage the detent withthelever, a lever on the op osite side of the table also operated by theeed-slide and an arm thereon operating through a de osited coin todisengage the detent from t c aforesaid lever.

11. In an automatic signaling and detecting device an apertured table, afeed-slide thereon adapted to deposit the operatin disk, a lever pivotedat each side of the table andone of which is provided with a hammer,laterally-directed trunnions on said slide adapted to engage andoperate. said levers, a normally open chute beneath the table, aswinging arm adjacent said chute, means connected therewith acting whenone of said levers is operated to lock the arm across the chute toretardthe progress of said disk, a gong and means on the other lever adaptedto enter the-chute and through a deposited coin to release the disk andthrow the hammer against said gong.

12, In a device of the class described an a ertured table, an aperturedslidable feedside thereon, a normally opened chute beneath the a erturein said table, means adapted to cose the chute when the feedslide isoperated, a lever pivoted at the side of the table, a laterally-d1rectedtrunnion on said slide adapted to be engaged by said lever, a springengaged on said lever and acting to hold the slide extended, a rodrigidlyengaged on said lever and adapted to force an article through thechute, and means connected with and operated from the means for closingthe chute adapted to produce an audible signal when the article passesthrough the chute. p

13. In a device of the class described the combination with a tablehaving a plurality of apertures therethrough, of a pivotallysupportedlid adapted to close one of said apertures, a coin-carrying slidemovably env gaged on said table, means acting to normally hold saidslide extended from the table, a guide rigidly engaged on the table inclose relation to said slide, a normally opened chute below saidaperture, an armpivoted adjacent thechute, a lever adapted to swing saidarm across the chute, means for locking the arm in the chute, .means forreleasing said arm and means operated by said slide for indicating thepassage of a coin through the chute.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN L. HARMAN.

Witnesses:

C. W. HILLs, W. W. WI'rn NBURY.

